I remember sitting in my sixth grade classroom when my English teacher, Mrs. James, looked out over a class full of insecure and nervous adolescents and said, “knowledge is power. So, let’s learn to be powerful and influential people.” It would be a good ten years before I would fully understand what she meant by that and how that would apply to my life, my education, and most importantly my career. But now, a few years into my professional path, I am finding this to be one of the most influential takeaways from my education.
In a time where information is constantly at our fingertips, competition in the marketplace is greater than ever. Billboards are no longer simply large boards with an ad slapped on the front. Today, billboards are digital screens flashing advertisements, news and media updates. And, if your hometown is anything like mine, the police are even using them to cut down on crime by posting large pictures with information for “most-wanted” criminals. We are constantly surrounded by technology streaming “by-the-minute” updates on practically every industry. Want to get an idea of your company’s customer satisfaction? Just take a gander at the company Facebook page and see what your customers and consumers are saying about your products and services. Want to share industry-insight with your peers and potential clients? Retweet a relevant article for your followers to read. In just the short time that I have sat down to write this post I have watched my phone light up three times with some form of a social media alert. You see? Social media is everywhere, and in a time where this growing generation is projected to surpass the largest generation yet, the Baby Boomers, it’s important to not only stay current with new and developing forms of social media (babies are practically born with smart phones), but to also understand how you can use those forms to interact with consumers, and ultimately, build your brand.
